Jaguar is introducing a sleek new station wagon into its recently updated XF lineup, and this new addition will be called the XF Sportbrake, not an expected name like the XF Touring or XF Estate. More important, the prototype caught testing by our spy photographers is definitive proof that Jaguar is in fact looking to expand its XF portfolio. American car buyers, especially those in the luxury car market, have never quite warmed to wagons. In Europe, though, they're considered a prestigious and functional alternative to a traditional sedan. Over here, they're more often associated with runs to and from soccer practice.

Judging from the pert overall dimensions of the XF Sportbrake, this Jaguar wagon is going to put an emphasis on sporty driving versus heavy hauling. The roofline flows smoothly into the rear hatch, although at this stage of development (and thanks to the prototype's disguise) it's hard to determine how much of the sedan's side glass remains in the Sportbrake.

The rear cargo area should offer more than enough room to hit the outlet malls, but it might not be your first choice when lugging lumber. Chances are good you'd end up scuffing the luxurious leather-lined cabin anyhow. At the rear of this prototype is a pair of oval-shaped exhaust pipes, one at either side of the rear bumper. A small spoiler has also been neatly integrated into the top of the hatch.

As in the XF sedan, the front end closely resembles the design of the latest XJ. The headlights are slimmer than those of the previous XF, and the grille openings are now smaller. This Sportbrake prototype has odd-looking taillights that stand out from the bodywork—we expect them to be smoothed over in production models.

As for engines, the XF currently comes with a potent 385-bhp 4.2-liter V-8. However, Jaguar may gun for the Cadillac CTS-V wagon and offer the Sportbrake with the supercharged 461-bhpV-8 used in the XFR sedan. That might be pushing our luck, but consider our fingers crossed.